A record-breaking Anfield crowd is expected for Sunday's tantalising Premier League showdown, as Liverpool and Manchester United renew hostilities at the former's Merseyside base.
Never before have the Reds welcomed as many as 57,000 spectators for a Premier League game, but with the Anfield Road Stand now open for business, Liverpool will endeavour to mark the occasion with another Merseyside mauling of their off-colour opponents.
Jurgen Klopp's side lead the way at the top of the division ahead of gameweek 17, having leapfrogged erstwhile leaders Arsenal with a scrappy 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend before losing to Union SG by the same scoreline in the Europa League.
Meanwhile, another humbling week for Man United saw the Red Devils embarrassed 3-0 at home by Bournemouth, before crashing out of Europe altogether owing to a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
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Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 239
Liverpool wins: 81
Draws: 68
Man Utd wins: 90
Including the club's inaugural meeting during an 1894 test match - when Man United were known as Newton Heath - the two English behemoths have squared off 239 times down the years, and the Red Devils boast a slight head-to-head edge with 90 wins compared to 81 for their hosts.
However, with Klopp in control of the Liverpool reins, the Reds have often had Man United's number down the years and have four wins to show from their last five Premier League battles, including March's astonishing 7-0 obliteration of Erik ten Hag's sorry side at Anfield.
A plethora of records were matched or broken under the Merseyside floodlights that day, as Man United suffered their heaviest-ever Premier League loss and equalled their worst-ever defeat of all time, while Liverpool recorded their most emphatic win over the Red Devils to date.
Mohamed Salah also became Liverpool's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer in that demolition job, prior to which his late goal was in vain in a 2-1 Old Trafford defeat in August 2022, and the Egyptian leads the way in the head-to-head scoring charts with 12 goals against Man United; against no other club has he found the back of the net on so many occasions.
Furthermore, March's incredible beating also saw Liverpool extend their unbeaten home run against Man United to eight games in all competitions since a 1-0 defeat in January 2016, where Louis van Gaal got one over Klopp courtesy of a Wayne Rooney strike.
Since the ex-Evertonian's winner seven years ago, though, Man United have only managed a solitary goal in their last 720 minutes of football at Liverpool's headquarters, which came via the boot of Jesse Lingard in a 3-1 defeat in December 2018, and they have not scored on the Anfield turf since.
Without a goal in four away games against Liverpool, Man United have not experienced a longer dry spell against a single opponent since 1974, when Everton shut out the Red Devils six times on the bounce at Goodison Park.
While goal fests have been commonplace in this battle, drab draws have sometimes been on the menu too - Liverpool and Man United played out 0-0 stalemates at Anfield in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2020-21 - but even the most bullish Red Devils fans should not expect their rearguard to emerge unscathed on Sunday.
Last 20 meetings
Mar 05, 2023: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Aug 22, 2022: Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Apr 19, 2022: Liverpool 4-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 24, 2021: Man Utd 0-5 Liverpool (Premier League)
May 13, 2021: Man Utd 2-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
Jan 24, 2021: Man Utd 3-2 Liverpool (FA Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 17, 2021: Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Jan 19, 2020: Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 20, 2019: Man Utd 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 24, 2019: Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 16, 2018: Liverpool 3-1 Man Utd (Premier League)
Mar 10, 2018: Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Oct 14, 2017: Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Jan 15, 2017: Man Utd 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Oct 17, 2016: Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Mar 17, 2016: Man Utd 1-1 Liverpool (Europa League Round-Of-16)
Mar 10, 2016: Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Europa League Round-Of-16)
Jan 17, 2016: Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd (Premier League)
Sep 12, 2015: Man Utd 3-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Mar 22, 2015: Liverpool 1-2 Man Utd (Premier League)
Last 10 Premier League meetings
Mar 05, 2023: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Aug 22, 2022: Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Apr 19, 2022: Liverpool 4-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 24, 2021: Man Utd 0-5 Liverpool (Premier League)
May 13, 2021: Man Utd 2-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
Jan 17, 2021: Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Jan 19, 2020: Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 20, 2019: Man Utd 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 24, 2019: Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 16, 2018: Liverpool 3-1 Man Utd (Premier League)
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Ben Knapton
